Almond Moth

The almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker), also known as the tropical warehouse moth, is a notorious pest of stored commodities globally, belonging to the family Pyralidae. Adults are pale grayish-brown moths, 14-20 mm in wingspan, with faint darker bands across the forewings. Females lay 100-300 small, oval, whitish eggs, often scattered over the food surface. Larvae are dirty white to pinkish, up to 15 mm long, with a brown head. They produce considerable silken webbing as they feed. The life cycle can be completed in as little as 25 days under optimal conditions of 30-330C and 70-80% RH, allowing for multiple generations per year in warm climates. Pupation occurs in silken cocoons within the food or in crevices.

Adult almond moths are primarily nocturnal, but are often seen flying erratically in warehouses and storage facilities. They are attracted to light. Females lay eggs individually on or near suitable food sources. The larvae are the destructive stage, actively feeding and producing copious amounts of silken webbing, which binds food particles together and makes the commodity unpalatable and unmarketable. Larvae tend to disperse from heavily infested areas to pupate in secluded locations, sometimes boring into packaging. When disturbed, larvae may drop by a silken thread.